Mobility questions

Just two "quickish" questions on the integrated mobility.

I read in the explanatory text: "Do not follow a programming template for integrated mobility"

Does this mean no other stretching or mobility is necessary than the integrated mobility done in the program?

My second question is on "loading" the mobility exercises. Some of the mobility exercises includes loads of some sort. Eg. a barbell in MnPE2im. Or a dumbbell when doing Xiaopeng forward in HBPPE2im.

In the text it says a 5-10lbs dumbbell is sufficient for most. Which makes me think, are you to choose a load that provides some muscular challenge as well? Or is the weight just there too aid in "mobilization" in lack of a better word.....

If that makes any sense at all.........

"Do not follow a programming template for integrated mobility" just means that you should always be doing the same number of reps/the same hold time: it does not vary, as does the reps/hold time for the PE/SE's.

The weight you choose for things like the Xiaopeng should be just enough that you can feel some resistance. There's no need to be a mobility hero. 

Thanks!

Trust me, 5 pounds is more than enough for most people in the xiaopengs.  I find the resistance much higher than the pushups, and I'm basically using pushups as the rest period and xiaopengs as the strength exercise!

Bipocni said:

Trust me, 5 pounds is more than enough for most people in the xiaopengs.  I find the resistance much higher than the pushups, and I'm basically using pushups as the rest period and xiaopengs as the strength exercise!

elbows of steel!  

I love Xiao Pengs

This confuses me a bit.Trying the xiaopeng for the second time today, with elbows completely locked I can easily perform the exercise with a 19 pound dumbbell. But now I´m starting to get voices in my head saying I´m not supposed to be able to do it with more than 10, or I´m doing something wrong?

....

Gotta love that solid sense of confidence in yourself........

EvolutionarySideSteps said:

This confuses me a bit.Trying the xiaopeng for the second time today, with elbows completely locked I can easily perform the exercise with a 19 pound dumbbell. But now I´m starting to get voices in my head saying I´m not supposed to be able to do it with more than 10, or I´m doing something wrong?

....

Gotta love that solid sense of confidence in yourself........

That's pretty heavy for these... you might want to post a video just to doublecheck. I'd be impressed if you were doing perfect reps with that weight; I'm pretty sure Coach stated that Xiao Peng himself only went up to 12kg for this exercise.

I use 4kg, and for me it's working very fine. I think I could not load more than 5. In the end, this is not the point of this mobility work. I'd also be curious to see yours. It would be quite impressive if you can perform them with strict form.

Actually sounds like a good idea. I have to see if I can get a camera and someone to work it and I´ll post it here.

EvolutionarySideSteps said:

Actually sounds like a good idea. I have to see if I can get a camera and someone to work it and I´ll post it here.

Hey, if it's legit, more power to you!

Jon Douglas said:

Hey, if it's legit, more power to you!

And if not we´ll be fixing my form. Win-win!  

EvolutionarySideSteps said:

This confuses me a bit.Trying the xiaopeng for the second time today, with elbows completely locked I can easily perform the exercise with a 19 pound dumbbell. But now I´m starting to get voices in my head saying I´m not supposed to be able to do it with more than 10, or I´m doing something wrong?

....

Gotta love that solid sense of confidence in yourself........

That's an impressive amount of weight, but not unreasonable. I would still recommend sticking with 5-10# for the mobility drill, to prevent over-working yourself. 19# might feel easy for a few, but when you're doing 50 on each arm with only pushups in between as rest, it can start to get pretty tiring. 

Joshua Slocum said:

That's an impressive amount of weight, but not unreasonable. I would still recommend sticking with 5-10# for the mobility drill, to prevent over-working yourself. 19# might feel easy for a few, but when you're doing 50 on each arm with only pushups in between as rest, it can start to get pretty tiring. 

Good point. It´s an awesome drill though....  

Not to be an annoying bastard, just making sure we´re on the same track... In the text it says, 5 reps after each work set, with mastery at 5 sets, max reps is 25 on each arm?

EvolutionarySideSteps said:

Good point. It´s an awesome drill though....

Not to be an annoying bastard, just making sure we´re on the same track... In the text it says, 5 reps after each work set, with mastery at 5 sets, max reps is 25 on each arm?

Ok, so I stopped by the local gym for a little recording. Feel free to taunt and point fingers if I´m way off. Or just kindly let me know, your choice....

Hi EvolutionarySideSteps (love your name!),

With my critical glasses on I would say that you need to involve your torso more (twist to the left as you raise the weight, twist back to the right as you lower it) and to stop heaving up the weight - it needs to be one smooth controlled circle of movement.

[Hoping I got my comment in before Jon's  ]

Otherwise, you are certainly capable on this exercise  

LateStarter@46 said:

Hi EvolutionarySideSteps (love your name!),

 

With my critical glasses on I would say that you need to involve your torso more (twist to the left as you raise the weight, twist back to the right as you lower it) and to stop heaving up the weight - it needs to be one smooth controlled circle of movement.

 

[Hoping I got my comment in before Jon's  ]

 

Otherwise, you are certainly capable on this exercise  

I don't agree.

It seems to me that this weight is a bit too much for you-- not by too much, but a kg or so too heavy. Partly this is that visible 'heave' and partly the way your torso arches back and forth-- keep the movement more in the shoulder socket. A bit of twist is okay but not using the arch to get under the weight.

Looks like you have the movement pretty much down, but if that video is your typical one I would say slow it down (2 seconds-ish on each side), minimise torso movement, and drop the weight to more like 7kg.

(Please keep in mind I believe in looking very hard at details, I am not putting down your abilities but looking for easy places you can make quality gains )

I'd say you're twisting too far when you lower the weight behind you.  Given the angle of your torso, it's more like you're lowering to the side rather than lowering behind you.

The course video shows the model twisting a full 180 degrees during the movement - which is why I said ESS should twist more.

Thanks alot for the comments and help. I wasn´t aware of the heaving. I´ll lower the weight and slow it down so I´m not practicing bad habits. 

LateStarter@46 said:

The course video shows the model twisting a full 180 degrees during the movement - which is why I said ESS should twist more.

my thoughts as well

I've been thinking of this move as somewhat of a single arm dislocate, so I figured the closer you could get your arm to a front raise / rear raise the better.

Bipocni said:

I've been thinking of this move as somewhat of a single arm dislocate, so I figured the closer you could get your arm to a front raise / rear raise the better.

This ^ a twist is acceptable but it's about a bigger motion vs. focusing the movement in the shoulder as I understand it.

Don't think of this as a single arm dislocate. The twisting is not only acceptable it's part of the movement.

I learned this the hard way, as I also thought of it as a dislocate, and had Coach's athletes correct me last time I was there. The dumbbell should feel like it's moving in a single plane, in order for this to happen the arm will be 'pinned' to the ear at the top while the body and dumbbell are synchronously twisted. The back should not arch or heave at all, the lifting is entirely from the arm.